I Tried Living in a Fully Smart Home for a Week — Here’s What Happened

Like many people, I’d slowly dipped my toes into the world of smart home tech—starting with a smart bulb here, a voice assistant there. But I always wondered: what would it be like to go all in? So, I decided to spend a full week living in a completely connected smart home, where everything from the lights to the locks, thermostat to the toaster, was automated or controllable via voice, app, or AI.

Spoiler: it was equal parts awesome, weird, and unexpectedly emotional.

Day 1: Welcome to the Future (Also, I Locked Myself Out)

The first thing I noticed was how smooth everything felt. I walked into the house, and lights turned on automatically based on motion sensors. The air inside was perfectly set to 72°F thanks to the smart thermostat, and soft jazz played in the background courtesy of my linked smart speakers. It was like entering a hotel—but one that knew my exact taste.

Then I went outside to grab a package… and the door locked behind me. My phone, which I usually carried, was charging inside. After a good five minutes of pacing and cursing my new smart life, I remembered the voice unlock function tied to my smart doorbell. I awkwardly shouted my access code through the front door like a character in a spy movie, and thankfully, it worked.

Lesson learned: smart homes are only as smart as the people using them.

Day 2-3: Automations That Actually Work

By the third day, I started to get used to the idea that I didn’t need to do things—my home did them for me. The blinds opened with the sunrise, coffee brewed itself by 7:30 a.m., and lights gradually dimmed at night as part of a “winding down” routine.

I used a system from GONEO for managing multiple devices—lights, thermostat, and security all through one app. What I liked about it was how easy it was to set “scenes”: one tap for “Movie Night” dimmed the lights, turned on ambient LEDs behind the TV, and paused all incoming notifications on my phone. It felt like having a digital butler who just got me.

Day 4: The Creepy Side of Things

At some point, the convenience started to feel… intrusive.

I was talking about buying a blender to a friend, and the next morning, my smart assistant casually suggested adding one to my shopping list. I hadn’t searched for it. I hadn’t typed it anywhere. Just… said it. Was it helpful? Sure. Was it creepy? Absolutely.

Also, I realized how much data I was handing over without thinking—location, habits, schedules. I spent the evening tweaking privacy settings and doing some much-needed reading on smart home security. Pro tip: always change default passwords and enable two-factor authentication.

Day 5-6: A Taste of Luxury (and Laziness)

By now, I had fully embraced my tech-assisted life. I was using voice commands for everything: “Turn on the shower,” “Start the dishwasher,” “Vacuum the living room.” My smart fridge even told me I was low on oat milk.

This was peak smart living—and I’ll admit, a little addictive. The novelty hadn’t worn off; if anything, I found myself imagining even more ways to automate my life. Could I get my closet to pick my outfit? Could I install a robot arm to feed the cat?

GONEO’s device routines also helped me optimize my energy usage. It sent me reports showing which devices were power-hungry, and I even managed to cut down 10% of my weekly electricity consumption. Unexpected bonus.

Day 7: Back to Reality

As the week came to a close, I had mixed feelings. I’d loved the convenience, the comfort, the wow-factor of walking into a perfectly lit and climate-controlled home. But I also missed something… raw. There’s a strange joy in physically flipping a switch, brewing your own coffee, or choosing your music track.

I wouldn’t go back to a dumb home, but I would be more intentional. A smart home isn’t about having tech for tech’s sake—it’s about using it to enhance your life without it becoming your life.

Final Thoughts

Living in a fully smart home taught me a few things:

• Automation is powerful—but you still need to think about privacy and backup options.
  
• Some things, like mood lighting or auto-brewing coffee, genuinely improve daily life.
  
• Others, like a talking fridge, feel more gimmicky than necessary.
  
• A centralized system like GONEO can make managing it all far less overwhelming.
  

Would I recommend trying it? Absolutely—if you’re curious and willing to learn as you go. Just don’t forget your front door access code.